


Alone

by callmechristinae



Series: Livejournal Migration [16]
Category: Rent - Larson
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-26 21:44:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/970619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmechristinae/pseuds/callmechristinae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>As you lie awake in bed and there’s no one, no one to stroke your head, and your mind reels…It’s all right. Love heals.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone

Faint beeping and soft breathing were the only sounds in the sterile white room, mostly in darkness to allow the occupant to sleep. Light crept in from under the doorway and the machinery flickered a bit in the darkness. Footsteps of nurses and doctors walking down the hallway could be heard every so often, but the entire atmosphere seemed muted.  
  
Everything was so much different than the last time Collins had spent the night in a hospital bed. Last time he had held the love of his life in his arms, watching his final breath leave his body in a sharp painful exhale. He had been there with him the whole time, convincing the doctors to allow him to stay past visiting hours. Usually they were quite strict about their “family only” policy, but, in the past few years, it seemed that they had been more willing to let “significant others” in as well.  
  
He had known that Angel would not be there with him when it was his turn to lay in his hospital bed, and all notions about still feeling his presence disappeared as he looked around the dark empty room. What he hadn’t expected was that he would be alone.  
  
Collins had always been the one in his group of friends with an overabundance of love, always willing to share his soul with other people. A few years ago, he was also the only one who would ever have truly loving romantic relationships. Roger was in his self-imposed exile in the loft, Mark and Maureen were swiftly growing apart, Benny was rarely seen, and Joanne, Mimi, and Angel hadn’t even entered their lives yet. He had always figured that, when his time came, his lover would be there holding his hand telling him that everything would be okay.  
  
Now, Collins also knew that this wasn’t the end. He was just fighting a nasty cold that his weakened immune system needed some help fighting, but his situation had gotten him thinking how much things had changed in a matter of a few years, and the few hospital stays since Angel’s. He realized that he was the only one who had spent the night alone.  
  
The first time he had visited a hospital after Angel had been for Maureen. The memory caused Collins to chuckle quietly to himself, remembering the drama queen smiling brightly as Joanne and Mimi decorated her arm cast. She had become overly excited at a protest and had fallen from the stage, but till this day she claims that the injury was a result of overzealous police trying to silence her from spreading her message. Maureen was always bubbling with energy, yet Joanne was always able to keep up. He had lost count of how many times during the visit that he and Mark had turned to each other just to roll their eyes. She had only stayed one night, but Joanne had kept her company and the two played cards until early morning.  
  
The second time was much more somber. Mimi had never fully recovered from her time on the streets, and her weak health had finally caught up with her. She had lasted for less than a week, all of them visiting during the day like they had with Angel and Roger holding her in his arms through the nights. Maureen had sat at the end of the bed doing her nails while Mark sat nearby telling embarrassing stories about Roger. Mimi would laugh weakly each time, her eyes unable to brighten with joy like they had before. He remembered walking in with Mark early that Wednesday morning to find Roger sobbing over Mimi’s still body.  
  
The third time was filled with tension, him and Mark visiting Benny. It hadn’t been serious, their former friend and current landlord being treated for stress related fatigue. It had been a very short visit, not wanting to remain under the glares of the Grey clan gathered in the room. Well wishes had been exchanged, with Mark daring to give his former best friend a gentle hug on the way out. Benny had always been good at hiding his emotions from others, but he and Mark had shared a special bond built on care and understanding. Collins had been sad to see that end, but he knew that Benny had found love. The others may criticize him for trying to climb the social ladder, but Collins knew the man loved Alison dearly and wasn’t at all surprised when he heard that she had spent every night of that short hospital stay with him. Who would have thought that the closed off aspiring business man would find love with Alison Grey?  
  
And now, Collins was in the hospital. Alone. Maureen and Joanne had spent the day with him, discussing politics, playing Monopoly (at which Maureen constantly tried to cheat and imitate Donald Trump), and watching movies. He never thought Maureen, the woman constantly protesting against the bulldozing by American corporations, would be so in love with Disney movies. In his head he could still see her dancing around the room singing  _Part of Your World_  while Joanne hid her laughter behind her hand. They had watched  _Beauty and the Beast_  when Roger and Mark had come to visit. They had talked over the entire film and Maureen had somehow convinced Roger to sing the final song with her. The girls stayed to have dinner with him while Roger took Mark down to his own room down the hall.  
  
Technically, Mark’s stay was the fourth time. Mark had complained of stomach pains and nausea a few days ago and Roger, being easily excitable when it came to Mark’s wellbeing, had taken him to the hospital. Collins had been frightened when Roger had burst into his room and told him that Mark was in surgery. He and Joanne had calmed the songwriter down, with no help from Maureen, and found out that Mark was simply having his appendix removed. Everything had been as routine as surgery could be and Mark was simply staying in the hospital a few days for observation. But, he had Roger there with him every night.  
  
Collins looked around his empty room. If he had been asked a few years ago, he wouldn’t have guessed that he would be the one alone in his hospital room at night.  
  
The philosopher jumped slightly as the door opened slowly, revealing Mark in his cheap generic hospital robe. The filmmaker grinned at him, closing the door quietly after making sure he had avoided the notice of any doctors.  
  
“What are you doing here?” he asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. The shadowy figure that he knew was his friend came closer until they could see each other clearly.  
  
“I thought you might want some company,” was the younger Bohemian’s only response. He braced a foot on the nearby chair to hop smoothly onto the edge of the bed.  
  
“But what about…” Collins nodded his head in the direction of Mark’s room.  
  
“Roger needs his rest. He worries about me too much.” Collins nodded in agreement. Ever since the two friends had gotten together, and even before, Roger had tended to be slightly overzealous when it came to Mark’s wellbeing. They were lucky to have each other.  
  
“Now scoot over,” Mark demanded, poking at the larger man’s hip.  
  
Then again, Collins was lucky too. He had friends who loved him and, when his time did come, he wouldn’t be alone at night.


End file.
